Without fanfare and the usual media hype, China on June 29 quietly launched a sophisticated military spy satellite into outer space, marking a significant step in Beijing’s anti-satellite development.

China’s first Long March 7 rocket is launched from Hainan Island. / Xinhua

Dubbed “Experiment 02,” the satellite is China’s second anti-satellite weapon in the near earth orbit zone where most of the world’s military satellites are.

The Experiment 01 was launched earlier and it had the capability to travel in the near earth orbit to grab and destroy any other satellites vital to indispensable military communication and weapons’ guidance.

Within hours of the Experiment 02 launch, China also sent into outer space a second space station module with its powerful Long March 7 rocket.